The invention relates to a method and system for operating a tipper. In particular, the invention relates to a method and system in which it is determined whether the lateral state of a hydraulic cylinder of the tipper is outside acceptable limits.
A tipper truck, sometimes referred to as a dump or dumper truck, is a vehicle that is typically used in the construction industry for transporting aggregate (e.g. gravel or sand). The tipper typically comprises an engine, a driver cab and a trailer. The trailer usually has a trailer chassis or frame with a tipper body, in the form of an open-top cuboidal container, pivotably mounted thereto. A hydraulic cylinder is provided between the frame and the tipper body and can be extended to pivot the tipper body to a tipping position in which the load is emptied from the body. The cylinder can be retracted to lower the tipper body. It should be appreciated that this is merely one form of tipper truck and other types do exist.
Tipper trucks are often used off-road on construction sites or the like where the ground may be uneven. If the chassis or frame of the truck is inclined sideways (i.e. the wheel on one side is higher than the wheel on the opposite side) then the hydraulic cylinder will also be inclined sideways (i.e. laterally). Thus, as the hydraulic cylinder is extended, the centre of gravity of the load within the tipper body will move sideways. This may cause the tipper truck to topple over, and/or the hydraulic cylinder may buckle. This is clearly highly undesirable. Operators are therefore typically instructed not to raise the tipper body unless the truck is substantially horizontal. However, it may not always be apparent to the operator that the truck is not horizontal, especially if only one rear wheel, for example, is raised.
It is therefore desirable to provide a method and system which addresses this problem to at least some extent.